Once Upon A December
by Chikumo Sawada
Summary: I've promised that I wouldn't fall in love. Yet, I did with the most gorgeous man in the world. But yet, who's not a man at the same time. We can't love forever. We can't live together. Our love is not even approval. You were my guardian, older brother, teacher, supporter, and best friend. Can you be my lover as well? Are we able to stay together? Forever and ever? Jack Frost X You


"Mommy, I don't want to fall in love! If daddy loves us, then he shouldn't leave us, right? Mommy! Why's love between two people so painful…?"

I would never fall in love.

I would never make a poor decision like my beloved mother.

But I fell in love.

With the man that I shouldn't have.

It all started just like any other _fairy tales_,

_Once upon a December_.

I was eleven years old. Despite my age, I still believed in fairy tales, sandman, Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy, and other 'mythical creatures' that adults tend to say – including, Jack Frost. I was practicing hard for my skating tournament since I was very close to winning the first place. The wind was perfect; not too cold, not too warm. Pure, white snowflakes were falling down from calming December sky and landing on the frozen lake. It was early in the morning – five in the morning, I believe – so there was no one skating or even near the lake except for Mother Nature and I. I did some turns, twirls, twist, and jumps. Like a fish in the pond, I roamed around every bit pieces of the lake. The winter breeze passed through me and made tip of my nose red. Then, a strong gush wind flew off my hat from me. My curly long hair danced messily around me and blocked my view. I tried to catch the hat by jumping. But it was a mistake to do so. The ice cracked and the gravity pushed me vigorously in to the water.

Cold, dark, wet, suffocating, dying.

That was the last memory I remembered as I watched the sun slowly waking up to greet others while I was drowning into the deep frozen lake.

I do not know what happened but when I opened my eyes, I was in a warm room. The room was very gigantic and had this cozy feeling that made me to feel as if I was back at home. There were Christmas decorations everywhere and the two big French windows showed a landscape of blanket of snow and clear blue sky. Beside the bed I was sleeping, there was a plate of several delicious looking cookies and a cup of milk. I didn't dare to eat them since I was educated not to eat stranger's food. However, when I heard my stomach growling and crying for food, I gave it a try. Boy, how it tasted amazing! Since I couldn't just wait on the bed, waiting for something to happen, I grabbed the fancy looking door knob and slightly opened it. I couldn't believe my eyes. I knew they existed. I knew they were real. I knew they were not just plain ordinary 'mythical'. But, this, this was unexpected.

"Hey, North. The girl's awake."

"Hmm? Oh! You are awake, that's good! And seriously, Bunny, brighten up. I know Christmas is near but you don't have to grumpy about it~"

I rubbed my eyes, pinched my arms, tapped my cheeks and pulled my hair. It was painful. I wasn't dreaming. I wasn't dreaming!

"Santa..? Easter Bunny..?"

"And I am here too!"

When I looked up, I was greeted by several baby tooth fairies and Tooth, herself. I blinked hard which turned into a smile and it turned into a childish laugh. I jumped up and down while the Sandman tried to calm me down. I ran around screaming "I told you! They are real! They are real!" to nobody in particular until a cold breezy wind and a snowflake from nowhere touched my nose.

"….Jack Frost..?"

I tilted my head up to meet the cause of sudden cold breeze.

_Jack Frost._

His white hair was puffy and looked so soft like a snowflake in cold winter. His marine blue eyes were sparkling with mischief and joy as I called out his name. His pale skin sparkled against the shining winter sunlight. His white teeth were showing between his parted pinkish lips and his enchanting voice filled up my eardrums.

"I see a hyper girl who knows my name, North. Funny, eh?"

"Well, not actually, since you are now a guardian and all – "

"Oh, come on, get the cold joke."

I still remember precisely what I did and how they didn't make me to sleep and forget the most amazing memory of my lifetime. Whenever there were holidays, I would place some carrots on ground for Bunny, cookies for North, drawings about my sweet dreams for Sand, a picture for Tooth, and a crystal blue sapphire bead from my treasured necklace for Jack. The guardians would sometime visit me along their way but Jack came to visit me the most.

I was a kind of kid who doesn't like to spend too much of time on playing. I would rather practice my skating to win competitions and get qualified to be an Olympic skater to represent my motherland. My friends didn't like winter but winter was always my favorite season since I didn't have to pay to use the cramped ice skating link. I could go to the nearby frozen lake and skate freely; worrying nothing and having a piece of world by myself. However, somehow, where ever I went, Jack came along with me. Even in summer, he would leave a frosty window with a picture of me skating or any other activities that I did the day before. Then, I would reply back by saying, "Hello" or "Good morning". When Jack has time to pass my house, he would reply back by writing the things he did. Our little private chat on the frosty window changed everything.

As I aged, I became mature and wise, but my beliefs for Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, Sandman, and Jack Frost were not fading. On my 16th birthday, right before my Olympic qualifying test, Jack came to visit me.

"Hello, Jack. How's your day?"

"Good – Had some fun with the kids in the ally. They make some good snowballs!"

I smiled genuinely and showed him my first figure skating dress. It was blue and there were snowflakes on the shoulder part. When I saw my first figure skating dress hanging on the hanger in the department store, I had to grab it since it reminded of Jack so much.

"Isn't it pretty? I couldn't buy anything else because it reminded of you so much, Jack. I am going to borrow your super power to help me win this qualifying competition", I said mockingly as I twirled around with it and placed it back inside the closet. When I turned around, Jack wasn't smiling like he would do normally. It made me scared. Did I do something wrong? Maybe he didn't like how I mocked him? Maybe I hurt him? But all that assumptions were wrong.

"…..Hey, you are turning 16 today, right?"

"Y,yeah…"

"And qualifying test tomorrow?"

"Yeah….I'm..quite..nervous.."

Jack smiled warmly – which he usually never did – and came closer to me and planted a soft sweet kiss on my lips. It was cold but it was so warm at the same time.

"Happy Birthday and good luck. I know you can do it. I was always your guardian. I know you better than anyone else – I know you are capable of winning this competition."

At first, I couldn't believe it. I was somehow able to say good bye to Jack and all that jazz but my mind was foggy. My first kiss was stolen by Jack Frost. Jack Frost! That night, I slept holding my skating dress and touching my still-cold lips which surprisingly didn't turn blue.

I won the competition. I was officially one of the representatives of my motherland. There was less free time for me to leisurely gaze at the clear blue sky or watch the snowflakes falling gently. As I grew older, my schedule became more compacted and busy. However, before I fall asleep, I would always write a note and stick it on to my windowsill for Jack to see.

_I love you._

And always, always, he would reply back with his childish looking script.

_I love you too._

But today, he didn't reply. I panicked for a second. This was his first time not to reply back to me. I've turned 26 yesterday and there was a coming up Olympic competition in next week. Maybe he's busy? No matter how busy we were, our long distance relationship didn't affect our love to each other because of our little chats here and there. Maybe something happened to the Guardians?! While I was busy walking around my house, thinking about many negative possibilities that might happen to the Guardians, I didn't realize that my window was opening and the cold breeze coming in to my room. Then, I felt a snowflake landing on my hand.

"….Jack Frost…?"

When I turned around, I saw the love of my life. His eyes were smiling and they were sparkling just like they used to when he first saw me.

"Remember how you said that when you first saw me in person?"

"Of course, I can't forget that…!"

Jack gave out a haughty laugh. He looked so same, unchanged, and _young._ While I was slowly aging, getting closer and closer to death. Sometimes, I wished I could be immortal and live my eternity with Jack, playing with younger kids and skating as much as I wanted to without stress. But, that could never happen, right..?

"I came here because I wanted to talk about something really important."

"Huh..?"

"It's about our relationship."

"Oh."

Of course. I knew this would happen one day. I was ready for this. I am mortal and he's immortal. We can't live together forever. We are different. Our love isn't supposed to be approval anyway. With a small sad smile, I nodded and signaled him to carry on. Jack saw me through; of course, he's my lover, my friend, my brother, and my guardian.

"Let's start new."

"….What..?"

"Let's start new!"

What was Jack talking about? New? What new?! I am not new. Obviously, we both are not new. What did he mean by starting new…? Then, the answer to my question was revealed as Jack handed me a small gold sparkling pill on my palm, brushing his cold fingertips along the way.

"What – "

"It's the pill for immortality."

As I widened my eyes, I watched Jack kneeling in front of me with one knee and holding out a snowflake design of a transparent grass ring.

"I know I am asking you too much. I know I am not the best man of the world. I know I am not a man at all either. However, I don't think I could live without you. I've lived for centuries but I've never met someone like you in my long life time. So, please, would you like to live your eternity with me?"

"Forever…?"

"Forever. You know how we guardians are like – we never lie. And I personally asked the moon for the approval of our union, you know?"

I smiled and I felt the pill dissolving into my body through my palm and the strange tingling sensation spread through my body. My eyes were watery but as soon as a tear drop rolled down to my cheeks, it turned crystal. I ran into the open arms of Jack and hugged him at last for the first time in my life. He didn't feel cold. I wasn't getting frost bite. I felt warmth.

"Forever."

"Forever, since the once upon a December."

* * *

**LOLOLOLOL AT last I write something about Jack Frost. I couldn't think about good thing to write about him…..and whenever I thought about it, it became depressing…So I needed to listen to happy songs to make happy endings. I like happy endings with fluff.**

**Yeah. Thank you for reading and…BELIEVE THE MOON :D**


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